


Dreams of the Open Sea

by LelianasSong



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Post-Game(s), Post-Trespasser
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 10:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4783625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LelianasSong/pseuds/LelianasSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After many years of feeling like she would never be free, Elena Trevelyan enjoys her moments with Josephine, as they watch the sun rise over the Rialto Bay. - Post-Trespasser DLC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dreams of the Open Sea

**Author's Note:**

> This is fluff set after the Trespasser DLC. There are few spoilers, but they are weighty spoilers and so I would recommend not reading if you have not played the DLC and would prefer to avoid spoiling yourself. This is like... the third warning, so if you see spoilers you didn't want to see, I did try to warn you :') 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy~

The sun rose majestically from the bay, lighting up the many fishermen and merchants in the weak tendrils of morning light. The harbour was already bustling, there was so much to do and many had no doubt been there for hours before Elena and Josephine had arrived. Indeed, they would certainly be there long after the two women had gone, eager to continue with the rest of their day.

It had been Josephine’s idea; to show Elena the wonders of her capital. The plan started here, watching the sun rise across the lapping waves and listening to the gulls that squawked amidst the sound of the people below. It was a beautiful sight and Elena found herself enjoying it, even if the exhaustion from her journey to Antiva City, having only arrived the previous day, was wearing on her, tugging at weary muscles and eyes.

“It is beautiful, is it not?” Josephine said, drawing Elena’s attention from the sight before her and her aching bones.

The Antivan looked so at home in the city of her birth. As if she truly belonged here, a part of the lifeblood that flowed through the city’s veins. Her hair was down, spilling over her shoulders and adorned with a simple braid set in a band around the back of her head. It was free from the bun that Elena had become accustomed to, perhaps it was the Antivan exuberance she had heard so much about, finally gripping onto Josephine in the daylight rather than the privacy of candlelit bedchambers. Now, it waved in the gentle breeze, framing Josephine’s face so exquisitely that it stole Elena’s breath away.

“Yes, it is,” Elena finally replied, cupping Josephine’s cheek in her hand. “Though, it will never be as beautiful as you are, my love.”

Josephine giggled and clucked her tongue, her lips quirking into an amused smile. “How many times will you be saying that?”

“As many as applicable, my lady,” Elena replied, her smile growing broader as Josephine nestled her face into Elena’s touch.

“Hmm? So we will never know when it ends?”

“If you want a date, I could try to prophesy the day of my death. Would that please you?”

“ _Elena! No!_ ” Josephine gasped, scrunching her eyes up slightly as she shook her head.

“Just as I suspected,’ she laughed, caressing her thumb along her lover’s cheek. “It appears as if you’re stuck with it then.”

They fell silent, as Josephine wrapped her arms around Elena’s waist, burrowing into the fabric of her shirt. Wordlessly, Elena stroked her hand through her hair, smiling gently as they looked out across the bay once more. Moments like this really made Elena miss the presence of her left arm, wishing that she could wrap it around Josephine’s waist once more. It seemed as if the smaller woman almost read her mind, as she ran her fingers down her bicep, stroking her fingers carefully over where Elena’s arm had once continued. It was comforting, far more so that Elena thought it would be and she allowed herself to feel lulled by each stroke of Josie’s fingers as they moved in time with the sounds of waves crashing against the port.

“I never…” Elena began, trying to formulate the words she wanted to express as her heart seemed to brim with a peacefulness that she had never known before.

“What’s wrong?” Josephine asked, leaning back so she could look up into Elena’s face. Her brow was furrowed in concern, her eyes searching Elena for any answers that would never be voiced.

“I… I used to watch the sea from the Circle. I used to sit in the window and dream about being able to go down to the docks in Ostwick and feeling the wind in my hair. I wondered what it was like for everyone else, the ones who took the sight for granted… who took their freedom for granted. I wanted to be free so much and I found myself resigned towards the end, that I would never be able to witness the sight with my freedom secured. I would either be stuck in that Circle forever, or I would be on the run, always looking over my shoulder in case a rogue templar attempted to kill me and put an end to my happiness.

 I never even thought, with that infernal anchor, that I would ever be free again. I was chosen to do something and I had no other choice, I had the mark and it was always going to be up to me. I couldn’t escape from that. I had more freedom than before, but I was still chained. Still without hope of escaping and now…”

“Now the Inquisition is disbanded and you have a choice,” Josephine whispered, kissing Elena’s cheek softly.

 “Indeed. I… we have a lot of work to do. I cannot let Solas succeed and yet… I am choosing how to stop him. I am making the choice to try to stop him. I am free to make that decision and honestly it feels far better this way. It feels like I’m where I always wanted to be, staring out at the sea, making my own choices and enjoying my own freedom. It also doesn't hurt that I am stood here with someone, who means more to me than I thought anyone ever could. I’m so happy to be here with you, Josephine.”

“And I, with you, my darling,” Josephine smiled, wrapping her arms around Elena’s neck and pulling her in for a slow and tender kiss.

 Elena smiled, enjoying the way she could practically feel Josephine’s leg popping into the hair and the way her lips felt so soft against her own. It was blissful. Simple and blissful and the warmth within her chest seemed to fill until she felt like the love would simply pour out of her. She chuckled at that, nudging Josephine’s nose gently with her own as they broke away.

“I love you, Josephine,” Elena whispered, as she placed a kiss upon her forehead. “You mean… so much to me.”

“I love you too, Elena. With all of my heart.”

Josephine’s eyes swam with adoration as they gazed at each other. They were warm and gentle, a combination that made Elena’s heart skip in her chest, a curious motion that never seemed to stop even after being together for the few years. It was ridiculous, how much of an effect this woman still had on her and yet, Elena wasn’t even surprised. This was Josephine after all and it would be hard for anyone to not fall in love with her a little more each day. Maker, when had she gotten so mushy?

Suddenly, Elena felt Josephine slip her fingers through Elena’s own. lacing them together and squeezing gently. The blonde sighed happily as both of them looked out at the bay once more, content in their comfortable silence, at least for a time.

“Come,” Josephine said finally, squeezing Elena’s hand. “I have much to show you before the day is done. Mama and Papa wanted us to come back to eat, so we should try to get as much of the itinerary I made for us done as possible. Although, we can save the galleries for other days, I believe Papa and Yvette wanted to be with us when we visited those. I hope you do not mind?” Josephine said, pulling out the surprisingly pristine paper that she had folded and placed into her pocket.

“I… what was it that your parents said that I was last night?”

“I believe… well they welcomed you to the family.”

“As weird as it is, to be welcomed into a family that actually seemed to want me there, I cannot deny their company can I? Besides, I am determined to find out more embarrassing stories from your childhood and I hope that they do not disappoint!”

“ _Elena_!” Josephine gasped for the second time that morning. “You will do no such thing?”

“Aw, come on! Please? I’ll tell you embarrassing stories about me if you wish?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Josephine, please? How can I be family if I do not hear the rest of the story where you climbed rocks when you were ten?”

“Oh goodness, you are never going to stop are you?”

“Probably not!”

“Fine! But I want to be there for every story, alright? I do not want them exaggerating my exploits!”

“Exploits, are they?” Elena laughed, arching her eyebrows up at her girlfriend. “Whatever did you get _up_ to, Josephine?”

The Antivan groaned, pinching her nose with her fingers as Elena simply continued to smirk, her eyes dancing in amusement and mischief as Josephine seemed to contemplate just why she had allowed Elena so firmly into her heart that she was having to deal with this now. Instead, she looked up at Elena once more, stepping forward and kissing her softly on her smirking lips.

“Very good, Elena. May we leave now?”

Elena chuckled and nodded, allowing Josephine to grab her hand and lead her away, weaving through the boxes, crates and stalls that had appeared and further down the harbour, where the sounds of music could be heard. She followed her dutifully, her heart light and a smile that seemed to be fixed permanently on her lips. She truly had never thought that such a day would ever even exist for her and yet here she was, with her heart full and her world filled with endless possibilities.

At least for now.


End file.
